Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Episode: What’s Wright - Chiefs SAVE SEASON, Shedeur Sanders’ HISTORIC start, Eagles CHOKE vs. Cowboys | Nick Wright NFL
Date: November 26, 2025
Host: Nick Wright

Overview

This episode centers on Nick Wright's comprehensive analysis of three major NFL storylines from the past week: the Kansas City Chiefs’ pivotal win and what it means for their season, the significance of Shedeur Sanders’ first NFL win as a starter for the Browns, and the Philadelphia Eagles’ late-game collapse against the Cowboys. Nick examines the deeper implications and future outlooks for each team and player, and wraps up with quick thoughts on other notable NFL and NBA news.

Main Topics & Discussion Highlights

1. Kansas City Chiefs: Season-Saving Win Over Colts

Timestamps: 03:15 – 23:55

Chiefs’ Playoff Hopes & Game Breakdown

• After a stretch of disappointing performances, the Chiefs found a way to save their season with a critical win, keeping their playoff hopes alive despite dropping to the 10th seed because of other AFC results.
• "That would have been a season-ending loss. Dominating the time of possession, dominating the yardage battle and just not making championship plays would have signaled that this Chiefs team simply doesn't have the juice of Chiefs teams in years past. Thankfully, however, they are the Chiefs." (04:44, Nick Wright)
• Nick stresses how the defense “absolutely shut down” the Colts’ top-ranked offense, holding them to 13 offensive points (the Colts' other 7 came from a short-field turnover by Mahomes).
• Emphasizes the high-pressure sequence in the fourth quarter, where the Chiefs had to play flawless defensive football after a fumble inside the five.
• Rashee Rice looked like his explosive self for the first time since injury, and Noah Gray’s big second-half catch was called "unconscious" and "remarkable."
• Nick discusses how the defensive effort convinced the Colts to abandon the run and force Daniel Jones to win through the air – a bet that paid off handsomely for Kansas City.

Chiefs’ Season-Long Trajectory

• Wright compares the current Chiefs' fatigue to the late-stage Patriots dynasty: “It is totally fair to say Chris Jones has not lived up this season to his reputation, to his contract, to all of those things. But also, when you see the impact 120-game, super high-usage seasons have..." (13:05, Nick Wright)
• Wonders aloud whether the Chiefs are simply not as good as previous years, or if this is the inevitable toll of sustained excellence and deep playoff runs.
• The remainder of the schedule—especially a looming Cowboys game on Thanksgiving—is labeled “basically must-win” territory for the Chiefs' playoff hopes.
• Nick predicts that with this momentum, the Chiefs are more likely than Dallas to handle the “most-watched regular-season game in the history of professional football” on Thanksgiving.
• Memorable Quote:
  “Now for Kansas City, the playoffs really have started. It's not single elimination, but it's damn close to double elimination…” (17:47, Nick Wright)

Colts’ Plight

• Nick draws parallels between this Colts squad and the “2024 Vikings”, labeling them as plucky but potentially out of magic.
• Outlines the challenging gauntlet of their remaining schedule and stakes for their upcoming tilt with Houston.

2. Philadelphia Eagles: Collapse Against Cowboys

Timestamps: 27:38 – 36:10

Offensive Struggles & Big Picture Implications

• Nick goes in on the Eagles’ inability to finish games, citing a stat that the team has scored seven or fewer points in over a third of their halves this year.
• "There is something wrong with Philly's offense... This was the most predictable year-over-year decline imaginable." (27:51, Nick Wright)
• He highlights the running game’s drop-off (Saquon Barkley falling back to earth) and questions if the coaching staff really trusts Jalen Hurts given strange late-half clock management.
• Memorable Moment: Nick criticizes a baffling decision by Nick Sirianni not to try for points at the end of the first half:
  "In today's NFL, you're 25 yards away from field goal range. There was no scenario... where the Cowboys were going to touch the ball, much less kick a field goal." (29:55, Nick Wright)
• He warns that losing the one-seed makes things much harder for the Eagles, potentially forcing playoff games against the 49ers or Lions in the second round.
• Calls out the coaching staff: "If he's doing that bad of a job then Sirianni, take over. But you have an offensive minded head coach, a quarterback that carries himself like Michael Jordan. Figure it out." (33:35, Nick Wright)

Dallas Cowboys’ Bright Spots

• Praises Dak Prescott as the league’s second-best QB this year (“Dak’s been the second-best quarterback in the NFL”), and notes the successful trade for Quinnen Williams.
• Points out Prescott’s milestone as Dallas’ all-time leading passer.

3. Shedeur Sanders’ First Start with the Browns

Timestamps: 36:10 – 49:50

Evaluating Sanders and Browns’ QB Dilemma

• Sanders started over Gabriel despite the latter’s return from concussion protocol—a move Nick supports.
• "There is absolutely no chance, none, that Dillon Gabriel is ever an above average NFL starter... Shador has just enough traits... I give him a 5% chance of being a plus starter and a 10 to 15% chance of being a full time starter." (41:39, Nick Wright)
• Assesses Sanders’ performance as mixed (“bit of a mixed bag. And he was fine, but that being fine was the most important thing. What he couldn't be was awful, or in way over his skis, and he wasn't.”) (45:10)
• Cautions against Sanders’ overconfidence (imagining all practice reps as “the undisputed QB1”) and sets a realistic path for his future.
• Praises the Browns’ defense as “the story of the game”—10 sacks and Myles Garrett’s march towards defensive player of the year.

4. NBA Quick Takes: Ja Morant vs. Klay Thompson

Timestamps: 53:12 – 53:46

• Morant calling Klay Thompson a "bum" sparks Nick’s two-part rant:
  • Dismisses the notion that Morant is a better player than Thompson.
    "If you think Ja Morant was a better player than Klay Thompson, I don't respect your basketball opinion." (53:12)
  • Warns that Ja’s off-court issues threaten his career, likening it to Derrick Rose’s derailment, but due to “rank immaturity” rather than injury or drugs.

5. NFL Week 12: Quick Hitters

Timestamps: 54:00 – 62:00

Nick offers rapid reactions and insights, including:

• Rams: Stafford now an MVP favorite
• Patriots: Underwhelming despite beating Bengals; points out Bengals’ struggles without Jamar Chase.
• Packers: Defensive dominance
• Lions: Win over Giants, Jameer Gibbs breakout
• Vikings: J.J. McCarthy called "the single worst player in the NFL"; suggests Kyler Murray could be their next QB.
• Niners: Shaky (mainly due to Brock Purdy) but “frisky” if healthy.
• Texans/Bills: Josh Allen’s volatility, Texans' defense getting hot.
• Seahawks/Titans: Cam Ward's best game of the year.
• Bears/Steelers: Bears win, Rodgers benched.
• Jags/Cardinals: Nick laments losing out on a $34,000 parlay due to Jags’ OT win.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Chiefs' Wear-and-Tear:
  "I think it's very, very difficult to watch the Chiefs and, and determine are they just not as good as, or have the games caught up to them, or are they likely, as they have every other year of this dynasty, to simply have an extra gear for the playoffs..." (14:30)
• On Eagles' Offensive Issues:
  "The flashing siren that's been 'what is up with this offense' continues to go off." (31:17)
• On Shedeur’s NFL Future:
  “If I had to crystal ball it...is it more likely than not there will ever be a season where Shedeur is simply a team’s incumbent, no-competition-involved starting quarterback? I don’t think that’s going to happen.” (47:40)
• On Ja Morant:
  "He is barreling towards a poor man's version of the Derrick Rose trajectory. Except instead of blowing out your knee, you're just an asshole." (53:46)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Chiefs save season vs Colts: 03:15–23:55
• Eagles offense collapse & playoff picture: 27:38–36:10
• Shedeur Sanders historic start & QB analysis: 36:10–49:50
• Ja Morant vs Klay Thompson / NBA riff: 53:12–53:46
• NFL Week 12 Quick Reacts: 54:00–62:00

Tone & Style Notes

Nick Wright’s signature confidence, candor and wit are in full force, with both bold opinions and self-effacing jokes ("it's my damn show," "take the win graciously, which I'm not always great at"). The tone is energetic, sometimes biting, and thorough—making for an engaging, insight-packed breakdown for any sports fan.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

If you want to get up to speed on the week's biggest stories—the Chiefs' playoff lifeline, the Eagles' unraveling, the Browns’ experiment at quarterback, Ja Morant’s career trajectory and the rest of the NFL action—Nick delivers all the firepower, data and hot takes you need, marked by sharp analysis and memorable, quote-worthy moments.